Choose This AARP Medicare supplemental plan if you want the best coverage
Choosing a supplemental Medicare plan without a good understanding of what’s available is a lot like gambling without knowing the rules of the game.
Each year in the United States approximately 10,000 people turn 65 and a good percentage of them purchase or join a Medicare plan that is not right for them.
There is a lot of confusion surrounding the difference between Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplement policies. Enrolling in the wrong type of plan could cause you to jeopardize both your health and wealth. Our free 8 Part Video Mini-Course can help you sort out the differences.
If you are considering purchasing an AARP Medicare supplemental plan continue reading to learn which plan will give you the best coverage.
All AARP Medicare supplemental plans are not created equal
Before diving into a discussion about which Medicare supplement will afford you the best coverage let’s address a little confusion surrounding supplemental plans from AARP.
A Medicare Advantage plan like AARP MedicareComplete is not a Medicare supplement. Medicare Advantage plans do not supplement original Medicare but rather are another way to receive your Medicare benefits.
Medicare supplemental insurance is also known as Medigap. These policies offer standardized coverage from one carrier to the next. The basic benefits of an AARP Medicare supplement available from United HealthCare will be identical to the same plan offered by another company.
There are 10 Medigap policies available; A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. A High deductible Plan F is also available. The degree to which a plan will fill the gaps varies depending on the plan chosen (Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin have their own unique Medigap polices).
The most comprehensive coverage available from United HealthCare is AARP Medicare supplement Plan F. For a little less premium Medicare supplement Plan G comes in second.
AARP Supplemental Medicare Plan F Benefits:
Medicare Part A – Plan pays:
- Hospital deductible
- Hospital coinsurance
- Blood (first 3 pints)
- Skilled Nursing facility care coinsurance
- Hospice care copay/coinsurance
Medicare Part B – Plan pays:
- Part B outpatient deductible
- Outpatient coinsurance – this is the dreaded 20%!
- Part B excess charges covered 100%
- Blood
- Medicare preventative care coinsurance
Additional benefits covered:
- Foreign travel expense for emergency care (plan limits apply)
AARP Medicare supplemental plans also include some value added benefits that are beyond what Medigap requirements.
AARP Supplemental Benefits:
- Discounts on vision care
- Nurse health line
- Discounts on pharmacy services
The pharmacy discounts are not to replace Medicare Part D insurance. Medicare supplement policies do not include Part D coverage and it is a wise choice to enroll in a Part D plan even if you do not currently require medications.
Shopping for a Medicare supplement
One major benefit of Medigap policies being designed as standardized plans is the ease of comparing plans from one company to another. If for instance you are interested in a lower cost option from United HealthCare you may consider AARP Medicare supplement Plan N and you can compare the premium to all other companies offering that plan in your State.
When comparing plans determine if you will benefit from the value added benefits like vision discounts offered by AARP Medicare supplemental plans. The potential savings should be factored in when choosing between the same plan offered by different insurance companies.
Another nice benefit of standardization is the fact that shopping for a Medicare supplement online is it’s hassle-free. Most companies will allow you to enroll online to save you the hassle of meeting with an agent. If you do not want to disclose your personal information online, you can speak with an agent by calling (888) 310-0376. If you are interested in the most coverage compare AARP supplemental Medicare Plan F to to other companies to get the most bang for your buck.
I have united life/aarp Plan “N”. Is there anything better and less costly? I am in good health and see my doctor only four times a year for blood test, as am a 24 year breast cancer survivor and quarterly bloods were recommended. I certainly do not need foreign travel, which Plan “N” includes. Thank you for your reply.
Anna, Better and less costly? That’s a tall order! I am biased towards Plan N as a good low cost alternative to Plan F. I don’t believe that the foreign travel component is really driving the premium. Medigap policies are standardized and you may want to shop rates with other companies.
which plan is the best buy for drugs
Sharon, That’s a difficult question to answer. Part D plans include different drugs and can place them in different tiers than other companies. From strictly a premium point of view the Humana Walmart-Preferred Rx plan has the lowest monthly premium.
Dear Sir,
I am fifty five years old and have been on Medicare because of multiple disabilities.I began Medicare in May, 2011 and of course the health insurance that my husband carried on both of us, mandated that I be dropped as soon as I was eligible for Medicare.We live in zip code 77713, but almost exclusively use physicians in Houston, Tx. because of the vastly superior health care found there.We are trying to maintain the four primary physicians that we built up over 20 years. I am trying to re-enroll and all of the on-line Medicare.gov sites only show doctors and hospitals in zip code 77713. There seem to be as many “advantage plans” as there letters in the alphabet. I’m leaning towards a plan N, but will need a prescription plan because of multiple prescriptions, which currently are in tiers 1-3. Do you have any suggestions on how to match up Houston physicians with Walgreens as my pharmacy in my 77713 zip code,while living in zip code 77713? Thanks. Ruth
Ruth, Plan N is not a Medicare Advantage plan it is a Medicare supplement. With a supplement you can use any provider that accepts Medicare with no network restrictions. If you are more interested in an Advantage plan, you may benefit by consulting a local insurance agent. As far as matching physicians with pharmacies… that is not required. A doctor writes a prescription and you can get it filled where you would like. Walgreens is a in-network provider for most plans nationwide.